Vedanta
Chapter 1 1. athato brahma-jijnasa Now, let's inquire about (Supreme) Brahman, Lord Krishna. To understand Brahman, one should have the quality of distinguishing eternal and non-eternal, temporary. By understanding Brahman, one understands everything else. This world of forms and names is Brahman. Brahman is the only cause of the world. 2. janmady asya yatah Lord Krishna is the Supreme Soul and the Supreme Personality of Godhead, from whom everything emanates. He is the source of all spiritual and material universes (Vaikuntha and millions of brahmandas). When The Lord (as Maha-Vishnu) breathes out, material universes manifest, and when He breathes in, material universes again become unmanifested. 3. shastra-yonitvat But mayavadis and atheists say that God is maya (illusory) or material. They don't accept Parabrahman or Krishna as the cause of all causes. Still, everyone should accept Parabrahman as the source of everything (including Vedas), because Vedic scriptures tell us to do so. One should accept this knowledge in parampara system - disciplic succession from bona-fide spiritual master, who is vaishnava - devotee of Lord Vishnu. There are five authentic vaishnava sampradayas: from Lord Chaitanya, Four Kumaras, Laxmi, Brahma and Shiva, so one can accept their understanding of the Vedas, but one should not interpret the Vedas and Vedanta, trying to remove Supreme Personality of Godhead as cause of all causes. Atheistic so-called logic will not help to understand ParaBrahman. 4. tat tu samanvayat Lord Krishna is to be known by all the Vedas, and Vedanta is the conclusion of all the Vedas. They were written by Vyasadeva. He also wrote a comment to Vedanta-sutra - Shrimad-Bhagavatam, in which it is more clearly explainted that Lord Krishna is the ultimate SuperSubject and object or meditation. Lord Krishna is Lord Vishnu, and Lord Vishnu Lord Krishna. Krishna and Vishnu are same. But there is not just only one Vishnu. There are many Vishnus expanded from Lord Krishna. However, Lord Krishna descends to material world through Lord Vishnu. 5. ikshater nashabdam Some people may say that Supreme God, Supreme Brahman, cannot be described by the words. But Vedas do describe The Supreme God. 6. gaunash cen natma-shabdat One may think that God has material qualities, gunas, but that is not so. Body of God and His soul are non different. They are both eternal, spiritual and transcendental to material qualities of nature (gunas). Thus, God has spiritual form, spiritual qualities (gunas). One should not think that Lord Krishna ever accepts material body. If he does such a mistake, he equates Supersoul with conditioned soul. Body of Supersoul is eternal, while body of conditioned soul is material, temporary. Even deity of the Lord should be considered transcendental, non-material. It may look like being made of materials like stone or wood, but it is also Nirguna Brahman - God. 7. tan nishthasya mokshopadeshat So, Supreme Brahman, Supreme God is not the product of material nature. Thouse devotees who worship this Supreme Lord Krishna attain liberation from samsara - reincarnation cycle of birth and death. Mukunda is one of the names of Lord Krishna, and it means "One who gives liberation, mukti". 8. heyatva-vacanac ca God cannot manifest from maya or illusion. Vedas don't advice to give up Brahman and accept anything higher. Of course, higher than Brahman is Paramatma (Supersoul) realization, and still higher is Bhagavan (Supreme Personality of Godhead) realization, so in some sense Brahman is impersonal. But even if we accept that Brahman is impersonal, still it is a spirit. If one says that impersonal Brahman is produced by material nature, we should understand that it means that matter is just another state of spirit. Material nature is the manifested spirit - impersonal Brahman. So it is only due to the lack of knowledge one may think that before material substance there was no other conscious or spiritual substance. It is true that in Bhagavad-Gita (14:3) Lord Krishna says that "Maha-brahman is the total material substance", but it is also said in the same verse that Supreme Brahman, God, existed before matter existed. What does it mean? Maha-Vishnu breathes out, and brahmandas (material universes) appear, manifest. Then He enters into those brahmandas as Garbhodakashayi-Vishnu, and from His navel lotus is grown. And on that lotus Lord Brahma (first living being of material universe) is born. So Maha-brahman contains three modes of nature (sattva, rajo and tamo gunas), but it is different from Para-Brahman, God. Maha-Brahman is matter, and Para-Brahman is spirit, God. Together they can be called simply Brahman. 9. svapyat When God, Brahman, comes to material world (enters into matter), He doesn't become conditioned by material nature, gunas. Lord Krishna expands into many Vishnus, and, when Maha-Vishnu breathes in, those Vishnus again come back into Maha-Vishnu. So God becomes many, then again He becomes One. It doesn't mean that Vishnu merges into impersonal Brahman or matter, no. Vishnu is not touched even by material goodness. 10. gati-samanyat Mayavadi may object, that there are two kinds of Brahman: Nirguna Brahman and Saguna Brahman. Mayavadi say that "Nirguna Brahman is supreme impersonal Absolute Truth" (matter or spirit), and "Saguna Brahman is God, conditioned by matter" (material modes of nature like goodness, passion and ignorance). But theistic Vaishnava philosophy is that Saguna Brahman is a soul, not Supersoul (God). Supersoul cannot be conditioned by matter. In fact, Supersoul is Nirguna Brahman itself. Krishna is Nirguna Brahman, but this Nirguna Brahma is not impersonal. Nirguna Brahman is The Supreme Personality of Godhead. Those who serve Nirguna Brahman, they also become like Nirguna Brahman, they also will attain eternal spiritual bodies, transcendental to matter (Maha-brahman). By the process of bhakti-yoga Saguna-Brahman, conditioned soul, attains Nirguna-Brahman. If body of conditioned soul can be compared to metal, and Para-Brahman or God to the philosophical stone, then by touch of it, metal is turned into gold, material body is spiritualized and changed into eternal body. So, Nirguna Brahman is superior to Saguna Brahman. When Vedas and Vedanta describe Brahman, they mean this Nirguna Brahman, which is free from all material contamination. 11. shrutatvac ca Nirguna Brahman doesn't mean he has no (material or spiritual) qualities, but it means that Brahman is untouched by material qualities. Supreme Brahman doesn't contact material qualities of nature, but still, He has countless divine, transcendental qualities. Nirguna Brahman, God, has no material forms, qualities or names, but He has countless eternal holy names, eternal forms and eternal qualities. 12. anandamayo 'bhyasat Supreme Brahman, God, is Anadamaya - full of ananda (bliss). 13. vikara-shabdan neti cen na pracuryat He is free from all sins. 14. tad-hetu-vyapadeshac ca He is origin of happiness for souls. 15. mantra-varnikam eva ca giyate Vedic mantras also say the same. 16. netaro 'nupapatteh Conditioned soul is not described as full of ananda (bliss). 17. bheda-vyapadeshac ca Vedas teach that soul and Supersoul, God are different. 18. kamac ca nanumanapeksha This Anandamaya Person is Nirguna Brahman, God, and not Saguna Brahman, conditioned soul. Anandamaya person is not a product of sattva-guna, because sattvaguna is desireless, but Anandamaya Person creates multiple material universes (brahmandas), and is the Father of multiple Brahmas and other living beings. 19. asminn asya ca tad-yogam shasti One who practices yoga and meditates on this Anandamaya Person becomes fearless. Thus God cannot be the product of pradhana (maya), even its sattva-guna. 20. antas tad-dharmopadeshat Realization of Absolute Truth goes in three stages. It is like studying of the sun. From very far distance, one can see the rays of the sun. Rays of the sun are also the sun, energy and its source are same, but still there is a difference. So first realization of Absolute Truth is Nirguna Brahman realization - realization of rays of Para-Brahman - brahmajyoti. Nirguna Brahman is not impersonal, because there are countless souls in His rays. So there are many souls, atmas, or saguna-brahmans in brahmajyoti, but there is at least one Supreme Soul (Paramatma or Para-Brahman) among all those souls. Second stage is realization of Paramatma - it is like studying the sun or the star. But highest stage of realization of Absolute Truth is Parabrahman or Bhagavan realization - realization of God as Supreme Personality of Godhead - Lord Narayana, Rama or Krishna. It is like realization of deity of the sun or star. 21. bheda-vyapadeshac canyah This deity of Supreme Star or Supreme Planet (Goloka Vrindavana) is not a sun demigod or conditioned soul, but Supreme God Himself. 22. akashas tal-lingat In Chandogya Upanishada it is said that akasha (ether) is the source of all material elements and all living beings. But this Akasha means The Supreme Brahman, Supreme Living Being. 23. ata eva pranah Chandogya Upanishada also says that Prana is the deity, who is the source of all material elements. This Prana is just another name of Lord Vishnu or Supreme Brahman. This Prana is not just the material element air. 24. jyotish-caranabhidhanat Chandogya Upanishad describes Jyoti which shines in spiritual world and on which all material planets and material universes rest. This Jyoti is also present in heart of every living being. This Jyoti is the Supreme Brahman, God. Same Upanishad also describes Brahman as having four feet: one foot is all material elements and all living entities, and His three feet are the eternal spiritual world. This means that spiritual world constitutes three-quarters of all existence, is three times bigger than material energy. 25. chando-'bhidhanan neti cen na tatha ceto 'rpana-nigadat tatha hi darshanam Gayatri meter is used to help meditation on Brahman. 26. bhutadi-pada-vyapadeshopapattesh caivam Gayatri mantra is the incarnation of Supreme Brahman. 27. upadesha-bhedan neti cen nobhayasminn apy avirodhat Supreme Personality of Godhead resides on topmost planet of the spiritual world. 28. pranas tathanugamat Once Indra told that he is Prana. 29. na vaktur atmopadeshad iti ced adhyatma-sambandha-bhuma hy asmin Prana is The Supreme Brahman. Does it mean that Indra is Para-Brahman? 30. shastra-drishtya tupadesho vamadevavat No, Indra is dependent on Prana, or Supreme Brahman. Kaushitaki Upanishad says that prana also can mean prajna (consciousness). 31. jiva-mukhya-prana-lingan neti cen nopasya-traividhyad ashritatvad iha tad-yogat Prana can mean both spirit soul, Saguna Brahman, and Supersoul - Nirguna Brahman. Indra is Saguna Brahman. Pada 2 In Chandogya Upanishad it is said: sarvam khalv idam brahma. Everything is Brahman, from Him everything has come. Adhikarana 1 1. sarvatra prasiddhopadeshat Supreme Personality of Godhead is the life of all life. 2. vivakshita-gunopapattesh ca He is full of nectar, and is known by those, who have pure heart and a pure mind (manomaya). 3. anupapattes tu na sharirah Manomaya means Nirguna Brahman, knowable by Saguna Brahman, jiva. 4. karma-kartri-vyapadeshac ca Supreme Personality of Godhead is Manomaya. 5. shabda-visheshat He is worshipable by jiva. 6. smritesh ca Bhagavad-gita 18.61 also says, that Supreme Godhead is situated in everyone's heart. 7. arbhakaukastvat tad-vyapadeshac ca neti cen na nicayyatvad evam vyomavac ca Nirguna Brahman should be meditated on (nicayyatvat). He is as great as the sky. Chandogya Upanishad says that this Nirguna Brahman (manomaya) is greater that the entire Earth planet. Other Vedic literature says that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is as small as an atom. He is also described there as having size of distance between the thumb and forefinger, and situated in the heart. 8. sambhoga-praptir iti cen na vaisheshyat This form of Parabrahman as Paramatma, though being situated in the heart of living being, doesn't experience the pains and pleasures of the jiva soul, saguna brahman. Paramatma and atma are like two birds sitting on one tree. Atma is performing karma, but Paramatma is above the law of karma. Adhikarana 2 9. atta caracara-grahanat Supreme Personality of Godhead is described as transcendental eater of universes. 10. prakaranat ca He eats the moving and the non-moving. Adhikarana 3 11. guham pravishtav atmanau hi tad darshanat Katha Upanishad says that two persons, souls entered into the cave of the heart: jiva and the Supreme Personality of Godhead. However, this Godhead is hidden. Wise soul should give up all material joy and grief, find God in heart and meditate on Him in a trance of spiritual yoga. 12. visheshanac ca Jiva-soul is the meditator (subject), and Supreme Personality of Godhead is the object (supersubject) of meditation. Knowledge of the soul is limited, but knowledge of Supresoul is perfect. Adhikarana 4 13. antara upapatteh The person in the eye is the Supreme Personality of Godhead 14. sthanadi-vyapadeshac ca He controls the eye, and is the master of the body. 15. sukha-vishishtabhidhanad eva Chandogya Upanishad says that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is life. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is bliss. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is sky. 16. shrutopanishatka-gaty-abhidhanac ca The person who knows the Person in the eye, attains the realm of light, Supreme Personality of Godhead. 17. anavasthiter asambhavac ca netarah The Person in the eye can't be anyone else, but God. Adhikarana 5 18. antaryamy adhidaivadishu tad-dharma-vyapadeshat The Supreme Personality of Godhead resides within the elements. 19. na ca smartam atad-dharmabhilapat He is the ruler within. It is not so, that maya (pradhana) rules within. 20. sharirash cobhaye 'pi hi bhedenainam adhiyate The ruler within is not a jiva. Lord Narayana is the ruler within jiva. Adhikarana 6 21. adrishyatvadi-gunako dharmokteh Supreme Personality of Godhead is invisible. He possesses many other transcendental qualities. From Him another Brahman (maha-brahman), which is the material form of this world, is born. 22. visheshana-bheda-vyapadeshabhyam ca netarau Maya (pradhana) and individual soul (saguna brahman) cannot be source of all living beings. 23. rupopanyasac ca It can be only Nirguna Brahman. Bhagavan, Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the source of Paramatma and Parabrahman (Supreme Brahman). One who knows this becomes liberated and free from reactions to past karmic actions. 24. prakaranat One should be interested in superior knowledge - which brings Saguna Brahman to eternal Nirguna Brahman. He is causeless, has no material form, is the source of everything, including all living beings. Those who seek liberation meditate on Him. He is known as Bhagavan, Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Krishna. Adhikarana 7 25. vaishvanarah sadharana-shabda-visheshat Vaishvanara, who is the size of the distance between the thumb and forefinger, is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Vishnu. 26. smaryamanam anumanam syad iti In Bhagavad-gita 15:14 Lord Krishna says, that He is Vaishvanara in the bodies of all living entities. 27. shabdadibhyo 'ntah pratishthanac ca neti cen na tatha drishty-upadeshad asambhavat purusha-vidham api cainam adhiyate Vedas teach that one should meditate on this Vaishvanara (Lord Vishnu) in his heart. 28. ata eva na devata bhutam ca Vaishvanara is neither demigod Agni, nor element fire. 29. sakshad apy avirodham jaiminih Vaishvanara means the leader (nara) of the world (vishva) or The Lord of all humans (nara) in universe (vishva). Agni is another name of Lord Vishnu. Jaimini Muni also considers there is no contradiction in such understanding. 30. abhivyakter ity ashmarathyah Ashmarathya says that this Lord (of size of the distance between the thumb and forefinger) appears in the heart of devotee. 31. anusmriter iti badarih Badari Muni says that Lord appears of this size, because that conception is very convenient for meditation. The heart is of the same size: distance between the thumb and forefinger. 32. sampatter iti jaiminis tatha hi darshayati Although the Supreme Personality of Godhead is one, He manifests as many. Jainmini says that the Lord can appear in such forms because of His transcendental powers and opulences. 33. amananti cainam asmin Atharvanikas also say the same. Adhikarana 1 1. dyu-bhv-ady-ayatanam sva-shabdat Lord Govinda is the king of the demigods. He is the abode of heaven and earth. Devotional service to The Lord is like a bridge, which lets the soul to attain the liberation that lies on the other shore of the cycle of repeated birth and death. 2. muktopashripya vyapadeshat Liberated soul attains this eternal heaven. 3. nanumanam atac-chabdat This eternal heaven is not maya (illusion). 4. prana-bhric ca Jiva is not the abode of eternal heaven. 5. bheda-vyapadeshac ca Because Nirguna Brahman (God) is not Saguna Brahman (jiva). 6. prakaranat Because of the contex. 7. sthity-adanabhyam ca Nirguna and Saguna Brahmans are two birds on the tree of material body. Adhikarana 2 8. bhuma samprasadad adhyupadeshat If one doesn't inquire about The Supreme Personality of Godhead (Bhuma), then his knowledge is limited. One who sees God, meditates on God, and understands God becomes wise (ativadi). The wise should know satya (Absolute Truth) - Lord Krishna. To say that Bhuma (God) is jiva, is laughable. 9. dharmopapattesh ca The body of Supreme Personality of Godhead is eternal, unlike body of Saguna Brahman (conditioned jiva). The Lord is the ultimate shelter for everyone. Adhikarana 3 10. aksharam ambaranta-dhriteh The Lord is the resting place for all elements 11. sa ca prashasanat